The Mercenary and the King
by GAlvin43v3r
Summary: Alvin didn't know that his first encounter with Gaius was going to cause that impact to him. He didn't know that such a man was going to turn his world upside-down. Will he able to accept the new feelings that are growing inside him? Or will he run away as always..?
1. Chapter 1

Well, hi everyone, here is my first fanfiction :D There are some things that you should know before begin reading:

- English is not my mother language, so grammatical errors may be frequent, I'll try to write the best way I can, so sorry in advance :)

- The fanfic is **rated M**, but you will have to wait some chapters before anything M-rated happens, in the first chapters there will be sexual tension and romantic scenes but they won't be very explicit, because I want their relationship evolves in an adequate manner, so...be patient please! I promise that the smut part will come :P

- If you don't have play Tales of Xillia 1 or you've played but you haven't finished yet, there will be **spoilers** of the story, so be careful.

I think that that's all. I hope you enjoy the first chapter ;) I know more or less how the story is going to be but I can't assure the time of uploading, I have a busy life right now :P

PD: I don't own Tales of Xillia or any of its characters, although I wouldn't mind meeting an Alvin or a Gaius XP

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><p>"Can you tell me again what I am doing here?". He was following her reluctantly, his hands behind his head.<p>

He had agreed to meet with her near Sapstrath escaping from the others without warning (they were used to it by now), and when he had arrived at the inn where the meeting was going to take place, he has discovered that the inn was a cover. The housekeeper had guided them to a secret door behind the counter with an enchanting smile, like it was the most normal thing in the world, and now he was in a labyrinth of corridors and doors that all seemed the same to accept a treat that, according to her, was going to be extremely profitable for both…and surely proportionally dangerous for _him_.

She exhales a sigh of exasperation.

"I thought that I had explained the situation in the letter that I send clearly enough so even _you_ could understand".

"Ouch" , he said, feigning offense by her words "well, I didn't have much time to read it, those kids were putting all his efforts to know who was the sender, they thought that it was a lover".

He says the last part casually and laughs to himself when her cat's tail tenses. She was always so easy to tease.

"Hah, what annoying kids", she says after a moment of clearing her throat.

"Yeah, so annoying", he concedes, but only half-heartedly.

"In any case, I suppose that I can make you a summary: we are interested in what Rashugal is doing. We have heard that Nachtical is conducting some kind of experiments and we'd like to know what they are about".

"Hmph, so do you want me to inform you about the things that we discover, right?"

"Precisely". They pass across a pair of soldiers that make a little reverence when Presa approaches.

"I see that you have become quite important", Alvin says somewhat impressed.

"Of course, because on the contrary of certain _someone_, I've been able to prosper".

"And I see that because of that you are more high & mighty than usual".

She glares at him above her shoulder but he only smirks at her. She puts her eyes in blank and continues for the hallway incrementing the speed and making Alvin run after her. Eventually, Presa stops in front of a door that doesn't seem different from the others except for the fact that is guarded by a pair of big soldiers. She turns around and looks at Alvin.

"We have arrived".

"Really?", he stares at the guards "what is going on? Am I going to meet a king or something?"

He doesn't realize the momentary smile that adorns Presa's face.

"You'll see soon", she makes a signal to the guards, who apart from the door. Presa approaches and knock the door twice. After a moment, a deep voice says 'Come in' from the inside and Presa opens the door and enter, followed by Alvin.

When he enters, Alvin sees that he is in a reunion room, with multiple shelves surrounding the space and a round table in the center. There are people sitting around it: there is a little girl not older than Jude in a red dress, a giant guy in yellow attire, a pale man with black hair that combines with the rest of his clothes and in the center, looking directly at the door, a tall man with dark-skin, purple eyes and clothes red and black that were a mix of a suit and an armor.

"We have arrived, your Highness", says Presa making a reverence.

Alvin looks at her, mouth hanging open.

"Wa-was it true the king part?". Presa looks at him briefly and smirks at him, satisfied by his reaction. He only sighs and scratches his head.

"Hey, mercenary, show some respect, you are in front of the king", says with a frown the man in black.

"It's okay, Wingul", the King speaks, and Alvin recognizes the voice as the one that let them enter a moment before "maybe this is the first time that he visits Auj Oule, he needn't to know who the King is, isn't it right?"

The king stares directly at him, making Alvin a little uncomfortable, but he manages to make his usual smile and makes a reverence mimicking Presa.

"That's right, your Highness", he said, making sure to show confidence "it's my first time in Auj Oule in a long time, and I've never had the pleasure to meet the king personally".

"Where are you from, mercenary?", inquires Wingul.

"Xian Du", Alvin says without hesitatation "although I am a free soul so I don't have a concrete home to be at".

The girl in red begins to laugh hysterically.

"Oh, Presa, are you sure that you haven't brought us a _vagabond_ instead of a mercenary?"

"Agria…", intercedes the man in yellow, and surprisingly she obeys, although she manages to make a mock sign to Alvin's direction.

"Your Highness", inquires Presa looking at the King "I've known Alvin for quite a time, and although I can confirm that his trust is something that _absolutely_ we can't count on unless there is money involved in the job", at that point Alvin looks at Presa feigning offense once again "his abilities as spy doesn't have arival, he is the man His Highness needs for the job".

"I see", the King seems to reflect, still looking at Alvin "very well, I trust in your judgment, Presa". She makes another reverence. "But before we settle this, I need a favor to ask you".

"Who? Me?", says Alvin surprised.

"Yes, you. Please, have a fight with me".

Alvin doesn't know who in the room is the most surprised.

"Your Highness, what are you saying?", Wingul exclaims.

"You can't be serious", almost shouts Agria, forgetting the formalism.

The King looks imperturbable at Wingul.

"My father usually said: 'The best way of knowing a man of science is through a nice conversation, but the best way of knowing a man of arms is trough a nice fight'", he looks at Alvin again "say, mercenary, what kind of man are you? A man of science, or a man of arms?"

"Ehhh". Alvin puts his hands behind his head. "can I choose 'a ladies man'?"

"You, how do you dare…?", Wingul puts his hand on his sword.

"Enough, Wingul", says the King, "I take it that you are more a man of arms that of science, if you allow me the supposition".

"I think that I've never been called stupid in such a polite way, your Highness".

"Oh, no, please, don't misinterpret me, I've only based my assumptions because of the variety of weapons that you carry".

"Oh, don't worry, your Highness, I'm not offended at all, I always thought that in order to do a job like mine, something must be a little of within me", he says that with a smile, but the King stares at him after the last words a little more time that necessary.

"I see", he only said at last "well, if you would like to follow me".

"Of course, your Highness". Alvin makes a little reverence. Presa puts her eyes in blank again and makes an attempt of following them.

"You can stay here", he said to the other four, "I don't think that it takes us so long".

"Oh, without public may be a little boring, don't you think, your Highness?"

the King looks at him briefly. Honestly, the fact that the man doesn't react to any of his provocations is making him be a little frustrated, but at the same time he is curious about how a fight with him will be, and if by chance he were the winner, Presa's face surely would be something that he will remind her the rest of her days.

"Very well", he nods briefly and gets out of the room.

"Someone wants to make any bets?". Alvin looks with a smile at the other four. After some seconds of silence he sighs - okay, okay, jeez, everyone is so serious.

He gets out the room and begins to follow the King, who is waiting him in the middle of the corridor, arms folded.

"By the way, your Highness have a name or something?", asks Alvin.

The King looks at him a little surprised, and Alvin internally celebrates his win for making him react.

"Gaius".

"Well, it's a pleasure, your Highness". Alvin makes another little reverence. "Can I call you Gaius?"

Gaius' eyes open a little more and Alvin smirks. Almost immediately, Gaius' face is imperturbable again .

"Let me think about it when we finish the fight", said after a moment.

"Okey, seems fair", says Alvin, still with the smirk in his face.

"_So...Gaius_", he thinks to himself, "_this is going to be at least interesting_".


	2. Chapter 2

Well, and chapter 2 is out ^^ There are going to be some errors for sure because I've only revised it a couple of times, so sorry in advance, I'll correct them when I have some more time. Hope you liked it :) Comments and critics are welcome!

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><p>Alvin begins to follow Gaius up the corridor. It didn't take long until he hears steps behind them, and when he looks above his shoulder, he can see Presa and the others following them too.<p>

"Heh", smiles Alvin, "so at the end their curiosity has won".

"So it seems". Gaius keeps walking without looking behind. Alvin looks at Gaius' back, thinking to himself.

"Can I make you a question, your Highness?"

"I take that as a rhetorical question, I think that you are going to ask regardless what I say".

"Oh, your Highness, who do you think I am?". Alvin exclaims, pretending to be a little offended. "I would never dear to disobey a King, if your Highness prefers that I stay quiet, I'll accept it without complaining".

"...I seriously doubt it". Gaius keeps silent for a moment. "Very well, I will answer you, but depending on what you ask, I may demand you some explanations in other time".

Alvin doubts: on the one hand, as a mercenary, his number one rule was not to give any other information apart from the one involved in the job...but in the other hand, he could always lie if he didn't like the question.

"Kay, in that case, I'll wait until the fight is over to decide if I ask or not. By the way, your Highness doesn't have to worry: I would never ask you something too inappropriate".

"Says the man that a minute ago has suggested to call a King by his first name".

"Heeeheehee", Alvin laughs a little embarrassed, "my apologizes, your Highness, you have a nice name and with all my respects, calling you "your Highness" all the time is a little boring, don't you think?".

"I'm accustomed to it. And thanks for the compliment about my name, although it isn't my real one".

"Oh...". Before he could say anything more, Gaius speaks.

"And asking about the real one is out of the question".

"Got it", Alvin hides a smile.

Finally, Gaius stops in front of a door which is bigger than the others of the corridor with some kind of panel on its right wall. Gaius puts his hand on it making the screen of the panel illuminate and after a few seconds the door is open. By that time, Presa and the others have reached them.

"Your Highness", begins to speak the man in black (Wingul was his name?, thinks Alvin), "I ask you once again to reconsider...".

"Wingul, I think that I have made myself clear before". Gaius answers quietly and enters the room, followed by the rest.

"But your Highness, to show this untrustworthy man the littlest hint of the techniques that your Highness uses in a fight can bring bad consequences".

"So, what you are saying is that fighting with him can reveal some unnecessary information about my method of fight, isn't it right?".

While Gaius speaks, he has turned the lights on and Alvin can see now that the room in which they stay is circular and spacious, a training room.

"Precisely, your Highness", nods Wingul, "and as your tactician, I can't allow that".

"Wingul!", hisses Presa.

"Don't worry, Wingul", says Gaius quietly as he enters the circle that is drawn on the floor. "If you are worried about him discovering my weaknesses, it's useless: I have none".

Alvin bites his lip making an effort to not to comment anything about the extreme confidence of the King. He looks at Presa to see what kind of expression she has (she was always so easy to read) and to his surprise, she was looking at him with a worried expression. Alvin frowns: normally Presa was the type of woman that hated when a person (and specially a man) showed off, but when the King had made that statement about his lack of weakness she hadn't moved a muscle...did that mean that it was true that the King hadn't any weakness? That was impossible.

"Mercenary", the deep voice of the King makes Alvin startle. "When you are ready, we will begin".

"Oh, whenever you are ready, your Highness".

Although Alvin says that with a confident smile, he pulls out his pistol and points at Gaius, staring at him almost without blinking. Until now he had been sure about his chances of victory, it wasn't the first time that a client had wanted to test his combat skills, and except one time that he had lost (and that didn't count because the opponent had been a really beautiful woman and he hadn't been too focused), the other times he had always won...but this time even Presa was worried about him, when in their previous jobs together she had only been worried about the possibility of losing the job because of him being too rude with the client... how strong was Gaius then?

"The combat will begin after I count until three", when the cold voice of Wingul resonates in the room is when Alvin realizes that everybody has become silent "mortal blows are not allowed."

"Don't worry, I'll use fake bullets, I wouldn't dare to hurt the King irremediably".

"I was speaking to the King, mercenary, we needn't any unnecessary death upon our King's shoulders", Alvin almost replies but he sees Presa's look just in time and decides to not to say anything.

"Understood", says Gaius as he takes his sword and establishes his fighting stance. The sword is longer that Alvin had estimated, so he takes a mental note about it in order to remember that he has to maintain a longer distance than usual.

"Got it", answers Alvin.

"Good. I'll begin de countdown".

"Pray what you know, mercenary", says Agria with a cruel smile. Jiao only stares at them imperturbable and Presa has his arms crossed feigning calm, but his tail is betraying her, because it's moving from one side to another, nervously.

"One...".

Alvin doesn't stop staring at Gaius. He tries to ignore the fact that he is beginning to sweat and he realizes that he is grabbing his weapon with more force than necessary. Gaius doesn't seem to have moved.

"Two...". He swallows. 'Come on, Alvin, you have a pistol. He can't be faster than a bullet, focus'. With that last thought he is able to calm down and focuses only in Gaius. And then, Wingul said the last number.

"Three".

The next thing that Alvin sees is Gaius' face inches apart of his own and that his sword is just above him. He barely has time to use his pistol as a shield to prevent the hit, if he had used the sword it would have been too late. His knees almost hit the floor because of the impact, and when he makes a movement to separate from Gaius in order to use his pistol, he realizes that Gaius is not in front of him anymore, and that with his last movement he is approaching him with his back full open. He didn't have time to think how in hell the King has been able to be on his back in less than a second because he sees that Gaius' sword is already in the air again and aiming for his right side, so he instinctively turns his body to that side to defend himself to the hit that was aimed to his ribs...or that was what he though, because in the time that he has turned to his right, Gaius positions himself to his left.

Alvin can only shoot a blind shot (that evidently doesn't hit Gaius) before receiving the full impact of Gaius' sword in his left side, making him fly to the other side of the room, and when he hits first the wall at full speed and drops to the floor, he only can hear the disagreeable laughs of the girl and the voice of Presa calling his name before darkness embraces him and he passes out.

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><p>When Alvin wakes up, he feels lost at first because he doesn't remember where he is, but when he finishes opening his eyes and looks at his right side, he sees Presa sitting in a chair besides him and realizes that he is in one of the rooms of the inn.<p>

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty", she says in a mocking tone.

"Thanks for the compliment", Alvin replies. He tries to incorporate but Presa immediately stops him.

"Don't, Al, you have to be lying down a couple of hours more at least".

"What are you now, my mom?", says Alvin, but he obeys and lies down again, because it's true that his head is still hurting.

"Don't blame me, the hit that you suffered were pretty big. Besides, I'm just following orders", Alvin looks at her confused.

"From who?". Presa looks at him patiently.

"From the King, of course". Alvin's eyebrows rise with surprise.

"What? The King has ordered you to look after me".

"Yes, he has, I'm such a lucky woman", she says without enthusiasm.

"I'm glad that you realizes that...ouch!", Presa's tail has hit him in the head. "But I don't understand".

"What is what you don't understand _now_?" asks Presa emphasizing the word "now".

"Why is the King bothering about my condition? I'm fired, right?".

"Fired? Alvin, you've been hired". Alvin's eyes open.

"What?".

"In fact, the conditions of the job have changed a little and you are going to earn almost the double".

Alvin stares at her. He is waiting for her to laugh and say something like: 'idiot, you fell for that', but Presa is completely serious.

"You are kidding, right?".

"Al, do you see me laughing?".

"But I don't understand... I lost, I couldn't do anything, I couldn't even graze him, the battle barely lasts ten seconds...".

It's at that moment when Presa begins to laugh.

"God, Al", she says between laughs, "are you telling me that you were really thinking that you had _any_ possibility to win?".

"What do you mean?".

"Al, since the King won the war twenty years ago, no one has been able to touch him in battle and only a few have been able to stop a blow of his sword".

"I suppose that you are among those people?".

"Yes, all the Quimerios, and lately only you".

Alvin nods absently. He had heard stories about Gaius being a prodigy in battle, but he couldn't have imagined that his skills were going to be so impressive.

"So...", continues Presa interrupting his thoughts, "now that you understand why the King wants you for the job, I expect that you act properly: don't forget that you are in this job because of me, don't ruin it".

Presa is looking at an scary look, so Alvin nods trying to calm her.

"Kay, okay, Presa, I won't screw up. You said it, remember? I am the best when a great sum of money is involved".

He ends the sentence with a smile and Presa only sighs with resignation.

"I hope so", he gets up, "as I said, rest a little more, and the next time that you wake up, please go to see the King, he wants to talk to you".

"Got it", he replies. Presa nods once and leaves the room.

When Presa is gone, Alvin stares at the ceiling, remembering his fight with Gaius. He can't believe yet that a man with such power could exist: he had always considered himself a good fighter, but when his fight with Gaius began and in the blink of an eye he had seen Gaius in front of him, he had felt fear for the first time in a long time, and now although he felt still a little embarrassed about having lost so easily (despite the fact that Presa has told him that he had done it right), now he was more interested in Gaius than before, and now he was sure about what he wanted to ask him.

Without losing any time he gets up, he still feels a little pain but he decides to ignore it, he had felt worse in other occasions. Then, he puts on his jacket, fixes his scarf and takes on his weapons. He checks that his pistol is still loaded and goes to the door.

He knows that Presa is going to kill him for disobeying but he doesn't have time to waste: first, because if he doesn't hurry to come back with Jude and the rest, this time he's going to have a hard time trying to explain his absence, and second (and with the second reason he can't avoid to make a smirk) now that he knows how good is Gaius in battle, he won't rest until he can hurt him even if is just a little, he has an honor as a mercenary that he has to maintain. And with that in mind, he leaves the room and goes directly to find Gaius.


	3. Chapter 3

And here it goes chapter three! :) And at last there is a liiitle of tension :D I promise that in the next chapters his relationship will begin to change little by little. **Warning**: there is a little mention of Alvin's past. It is of little importance (for the moment) and I don't think that it can be considered a spoiler but I warn just in case :)

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><p>Alvin realizes the moment the door closes behind him that despite his determination of seeing Gaius, he has no idea where he could be.<p>

When he gets down the stairs, he sees that the innkeeper is near the fireplace lighting the fire, and he is tempted for a moment to ask her but then he remembers that Presa had told him to go to speak to Gaius when he wakes up, so that should mean that he couldn't be so difficult to find, so Alvin greets in a cheery tone and goes through the secret passage behind the counter before she could say anything, he isn't so sure that he were allowed to use that passage without Presa's consent.

When he crosses the door, he sees that the corridor is completely empty. Alvin exhales a sigh of relief: that is going to save him the bother of giving explanations to anyone. He begins to walk trying to find the door that leads to the training room, the last place where he saw Gaius, and despite the fact that there are a lot of intersections which seem to be the same, he doesn't get lost (he always had a great orientation since he was a kid) and after a couple of minutes he is in front of the training room.

It's then when he realizes that the door only opened by accessing to the panel, so without thinking, he does the only thing that comes to his mind: to bang on the door in order to attract attention from whoever who is inside...and praying that the one inside isn't Presa to stay alive a little longer.

After a few moments the door opens and Alvin finds himself before Wingul. His angry face turns into a completely stunned face for a moment, but almost immediately the angry expression comes back, and Alvin swears that it's an angrier expression than the first that showed when he still hadn't assimilated that the intruder was Alvin.

"What the Hell are you doing here, mercenary?".

"I was looking for Gai...the King", he corrects himself just in time, "do you know where is he?"

"You are looking for the King", repeats Wingul.

"Yes, Presa told me that the King wanted to speak to me, so I was looking for him", it was almost the truth.

"Mercenary, do you have any idea about what time is it?", he doesn't let Alvin respond, "it's 5 a.m, I'm sorry to tell you that there's no way that I let you see the King in such an unearthly hour".

Alvin freezes for a moment. Had he been sleeping since the day before? When he had waken up and had seen that it was already dark, he had thought that he had been unconscious for a few hours and it was already evening, he hadn't thought that maybe it was dark because it was very early in the morning after.

Damn Presa, in what was she thinking? Why hadn't she waken him up before?

"So, if you excuse me, I would like to keep going with my training...". Wingul tries to close the door but Alvin prevents it.

"Wait, wait, wait a second there", he ignores the furious glare of Wingul, "listen, I know that it's not the most suitable time for an audience but the job that I have to do requires that the group which I travel with doesn't suspect anything (or at least too much) of what I'm doing, what do you think it will happen if I spend more than a day out without giving any explanation? I'm sorry, but if the King wants to speak to me, it has to be NOW if he wants that the job isn't ruined before having even started".

Alvin sees Wingul think. He didn't mean to be so blunt but he had no choice, he had to come back with Jude and the others fast.

"Follow me".

He celebrates internally that Wingul had decided so quickly. Alvin waits for Wingul to get out but to his surprise, the man opens more the door indicating him to come in. When Alvin enters, Wingul closes the door again and goes directly to the other side of the room, where another panel-door is. Alvin didn't remember that the training room had another door, but well, he hadn't have much time to inspect the room then because of the battle (or the beating, if he wanted to be more precise). Wingul approaches the panel and this time, instead of using the hand as Gaius did, he introduces an impossible-to-remember long number and the door opens.

Wingul makes a gesture with his head indicating at Alvin to follow him and Alvin complies. Behind the door, there is a corridor that finishes in a small set of stairs. Wingul begins to climb them and when Alvin is going to do the same, Wingul spins around making Alvin startle.

"Wait here: I'll ask your Highness if he wants to receive you, but if he denies the audience, you'll regret having made me disturb him for nothing".

"Okay, okay, whatever you say, so please, let's not lose any more time".

Wingul looks at him half-closing his eyes but Alvin doesn't look away, so in the end Wingul goes to the door and knocks a couple of times.

"Yes?", Gaius' voice is heard from the inside.

"Your Highness, I apologize for disturbing you in such an early hour", Alvin sighs. Couldn't Wingul go to the point?, "But the Mercenary has some urgent business to consult with you that, according to him, can't possibly wait", with the last part, Wingul fixes his eyes in Alvin's again reprimanding him, but as a respond he only gets a friendly smile, which obviously makes Wingul angrier, "would you like to attend him or have I permission to give this boor a lesson?".

Alvin laughs internally: it's funny that Wingul call him a "boor" when he is probably more noble than him, but of course, that is something that Wingul (or anyone) needn't to know. After a few seconds, Gaius speaks again.

"It's okay Wingul, let him enter".

Wingul couldn't prevent to make a face of disappointment but he obeys, and makes a gesture to Alvin indicating him to approach.

"Be quick, mercenary", threatens Wingul.

"Don't worry, I'll be, man in black", if he was going to be called "mercenary" all the time, he would do the same with Wingul. The last one doesn't say anything but Alvin sees his hand tensing around the doorknob. Fortunately, Wingul doesn't want to make the King wait any longer so he opens the door, but Alvin knows that sooner or later he will have to settle accounts with him.

When the door is completely open, Wingul steps inside the room followed by Alvin. The room is not very huge and it's very similar to the reunion room where Alvin saw Gaius for the first time: most of it is full with shelves, there is another door leading to a little bedroom and in the middle of the room there is a table full of well organized papers where Gaius is, with a concentrated look on his face. Instead of wearing his black and red armour-suit, now he only wears a pair of black trousers and a loose white shirt with the first buttons unbuttoned. Alvin finds himself staring and thinking to himself that now he understands in part the tremendous strength that Gaius was shown when they fought, because with the other suit it wasn't so evident that Gauis was so...well...how could he say it so it doesn't sound weird for his own ears...? Oh, yeah, so _well formed_. Gaius stops looking at his papers and fixes his eyes in Alvin's.

"So, Alvin", Alvin suppress a gesture of surprise, he wasn't expecting to be called by his name by the King, "what do you want to discuss?".

"Ehm, yeah, er...", he can see Wingul tensing out of the corner of his eye and he immediately focuses remembering the correct treatment, not because he was afraid of Wingul (he couldn't care less) but because he knows that, surely, Wingul will speak with Presa about this reunion and he promised her not to screw up, "I have to say your Highness two things: first of all, I have to thank your Highness for having hired me, after my lame actuation I think that I don't deserve such a kind treatment...".

"Does that mean that you are rejecting the job?".

"No!", Alvin exclaims before thinking, and he is about to apologize when he sees the little smirk on Gaius face and he realizes that he was being mocked.

"In that case don't suggest again that you are unworthy for the job, if I've hired you it's because I think that you are a capable man, not because of benevolence".

Alvin can sense the murdering aura that Wingul radiates without the necessity of looking. What is it his problem, anyway? Can't he stand that the King praises anyone that wasn't him?

"Understood, your Highness", he says at the end.

Gaius makes a quick nod.

"And the second thing?".

"I need to come back with my group now. I know that it's precipitate but if I don't come back now...".

"There is not need to worry, it's already arranged".

"Excuse me?".

"Presa has already told me that you would need to come back as soon as possible, so I give her orders to contact with your group and make up the most convincing story that justifies your absence. Due to your previous works with her, she will convince them that you couldn't let go a chance of a profitable work and that you will reunite with them when the job is finished. I estimate that it will be a couple of days from now at the most, but I think that tomorrow you'll be fully recuperated".

"But your Highness, right now I'm perfectly...".

This time, Alvin isn't surprised when the King moves towards him with the sword (that moments ago was leaning against the side of the table) in hand with an incredible speed. Alvin thought that if he affirmed that he was in perfect condition, maybe Gaius would want to test him, and he was right. So he immediately grabs his sword to resist the attack and he knows that he has made the movement in time, but his ribbons still hurt more than he thought so with the movement of drawing the sword he feels a stabbing pain that make him lose a little strength and consequently, with a simple stab his sword goes flying through the room when Gaius' katana made contact with it.

Gaius puts his sword on Alvin's neck and he suppress the impulse of stepping back. He knows that the King is not going to kill him, but he doesn't like to have a blade so close...and speaking of close, wasn't Gaius' face _too_ close to his own? If he moved his head a little forward, they could almost...Alvin stops thinking at that moment while insulting himself. What the hell was his problem thinking of...of _that_? His health had to be worse than he thought...

"Perfectly fine? I must apologize for not trusting in your judgement but I seriously doubt so".

Gaius steps back and puts his sword again in his scabbard. Alvin almost exhales a sigh of relief, with Gaius standing at a decent distance it seemed that the weird thoughts went away quickly.

"So", continues speaking Gaius, "as I was saying, today at least regain strength, if you came back with your group partially wounded, they would suspect: Presa has told me (and I agree) that you are an excellent warrior, so the excuse of having been hurt because a simple job is not believable".

Alvin nods and takes an internal note about teasing Presa for telling Gaius that he was a good fighter. He can feel Wingul eyes looking daggers at him, but he ignores it.

"Okay, your Highness, I'll obey you and today I'll rest, but before doing so I have a couple of questions".

"Tell me".

"Before the fight I told you that I wanted to ask you something but I decided to wait until the fight was over. The thing that I wanted to ask was how you ended with such an odd group like Presa and that man in black at your service", he hears how Wingul draws his sword. Without losing time, Alvin points his pistol at Wingul at the same time that Wingul puts his blade on his neck the same way that Gaius before. 'Two in a row, my neck must be irresistible', thinks to himself Alvin.

"Wingul...", says Gaius, face imperturbable but with a hint of warning in his voice.

"Excuse me, your Highness, I was only testing once again if his reflexes were good enough despite his actual lack of strength".

Wingul speaks without avert his eyes from Alvin. The last one only smiles at him.

"And have I passed the exam?", asks innocently.

"Yes, although barely", Wingul answers with another fake smile.

"Oh, great, enough for me then".

They separate, Wingul makes a reverence to the King apologizing once more and comes back to his position next to the door. Gaius speaks.

"Although the reaction of Wingul has been disproportionate, I ask you that you speak carefully about the Quimerios, I will not allow anyone to badmouth them".

"I would never do that, your Highness, I didn't mean to be disrespectful", and it was true, although the fact that he had included Wingul in the sentence on purpose to provoke him was true too, and for the way Gaius looking at him, Alvin feels that Gaius had realized. "So, instead of your Highness responding me at that, I would like to ask you for another fight".

Alvin hears the strangled noise that escapes from Wingul's moiuth but he is more satisfied with the face of surprise that Gaius shows.

"Another fight? I thought that you had understand that you have to recuperate...".

"Of course, your Highness, I didn't mean that we had to fight today, or tomorrow, but when I have to make a report to you, maybe we can make an appointment and test our skills. I promise that I'll train and that the next time that we fight, I'll last an entire minute".

While Alvin was speaking, Gaius' face of surprise has evolved to a complete stunned face, and now Alvin could hear Wingul clenching his teeth.

"You...how...I can't believe...how do you dare...?".

Taking advantage of Wingul's momentary incapacity to speak, Alvin continues.

"I suppose that the reports that I have to do are too important to give them by letter, it could be lost and fall into the wrong hands, so I think that a personal report would be the best choice. Besides, with the excuse of doing some random job having the support of Presa to confirm it, I don't think that they suspect more than usual, don't you think, your Highness?".

Gaius looks at Alvin, still a little stunned, but after a few seconds his imperturbable face is back.

"I must admit that you have a point".

"And consequently, I think that enjoying a little time of fighting after giving my report wouldn't harm anyone, right?".

Gaius crosses his arms lost in his thoughts, while Wingul seems that he is gradually recuperating his speech.

"Your Highness, although I think the personal report isn't a bad idea, I think that the fighting issue...".

"Very well", says Gaius interrupting Wingul, whose mouth falls making Alvin suppress a laugh, "I accept but on one condition: if the next time that we fight you don't last more than a minute as you have said, you'll be fired", Alvin swallows and he can see the eyes of Wingul brighten, "I take the promises very seriously, Alvin, if you want to retract your words, it's the moment".

Alvin thinks for a moment. He couldn't believe that he were risking a really profitable job and his position in Jude's group like that, but he couldn't help it: he didn't know why, but he wanted to know more about Gaius.

"Very well, your Highness, I'll accept the challenge".

He offers Gaius his right hand and after a moment, Gaius accepts it. Due to the cold personality that Gaius usually showed (although Alvin was beginning to suspect that maybe it was just in appearance) he had expected his hands cold, but he was mistaken, they were warm, and with the winter approaching that was somewhat pleasant. 'The woman that sleeps with this man in this season is a fortunate one...'. Alvin slaps himself internally: why had shaking hands with Gaius evolved in an almost sexual related thought...? It was the third weird thing that had crossed his mind in less than an hour, definitely it had been so much time since he had a proper romance, he should solved this before keeping with the weird thoughts.

"I think that you can let go my hand, or is a tradition of Xian Du to hold hands for more than half a minute?".

"I apologize, your Highness", Alvin releases Gaius' hand and makes a little reverence while insulting himself again, "it's the first time that I shake hands with a King and I wanted to remember this moment".

He completes the sentence with his usual confident smile mixed with a little embarrasement. Gaius doesn't say anything but Alvin can swear that he was about to give a hint of a smile.

"Well", the voice of Wingul sounds harsh, "if you have finished your questions I think that your Highness has dedicated you so much time already".

"Yeah, you are right, Win".

"It's Wingul".

"Okay, okay, what a serious man", Alvin looks at Gaius again and makes another reverence, "thanks for your time, your Highness. I suppose that the next time that I see you will be with the first report".

"Well, this afternoon I'll be in the training room fighting with some of the Quimerios. If you want to see (only to see), you are welcome".

"An invitation from a King, I'm honoured", he makes another reverence with a smile and Wingul rolls his eyes, "then I see your Highness this afternoon".

Gaius nods once without avert his eyes from Alvin and sit down again to continue with his tasks. Alvin is about to leave the room behind Wingul but then he remembers something and he can't help turning around once more.

"Oh, I have forgotten: may I ask you one last thing, your Highness?".

Wingul seems about to explode but Gaius only raise his head a little and looks at Alvin again.

"Yes, what is it?".

"I was wondering: if you have hired me, does that means that you have accepted my proposition of calling you 'Gaius'?".


	4. Chapter 4

Well, and there it's the first chapter of the year 2015: chapter 4! ^^ Hope you all are having a great Christmas and that you like this chapter =) Things are beginning to move although poor Alvin is not very aware of that... Sorry in advance for the grammatical errors, I'll be fixing it in the following days. Comments and critics are welcome! =)

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><p>Despite the fact that Alvin shouted "It's a joke! It's a joke!" right after suggesting it, the result was him being grabbed by the lapels of his coat by Wingul and almost being hit. Fortunately, at that moment Jiao appeared in the corridor and stopped Wingul just before hitting Alvin. The best part was that despite Wingul's indignation, the King didn't move a muscle and when things calmed down he only said: "If during the next fight you manage, at least, to graze me, I'll allow you to do that".<p>

At that point, Wingul was so pale that Alvin thought that he was going to faint at any moment, so he took opportunity to say goodbye to the King with a reverence and get out of there before Wingul could recover and go after him.

When Alvin arrives at his room, he closes the door making sure that the locker is on just in case that Wingul decides to go to find him and to try to kill him. He leans against the door trying to recover his normal breathing (he has almost ran all the way to his room) while thinking about he has just done.

Seriously, what was wrong with him? Presa was going to kill him for risking the job with a payback fight, because although it's true that every time that someone proposes Alvin a challenge he normally doesn't step back, when there is money involved he always evaluates if it's worth accepting the challenge, but in _this_ case he had made two mistakes: first of all, it had been _his_ fault the fact that Gaius had proposed the challenge because it had been Alvin the one that had asked for another fight; and second, it was clear that with the money involved in this job, it isn't worth risking it for a simple fight.

Alvin knew all that, he knew that he was behaving in a way that wasn't him at all and he knew that maybe he was going to regret it but right now, despite that, he wanted to risk, because during all his career of mercenary he never had the change of meeting a man like the King: it's true that he had met people with confidence and power that had tried to challenge him, but at the end all that people had lost part of his security when Alvin showed them that he was better than them, or at least as powerful as them.

Gaius wasn't like that, he was different, and Alvin had never known a man so secure about his skills and abilities that could affirm not to have any weaknesses and be correct about it, and resulting in him being completely defeated, and that defeat was what made Alvin want another fight, because maybe he was a careless man that doesn't give a damn about what others could think of him (or at least that was what he was always trying to pretend) but with Gaius, inexplicably, it did matter, and he didn't want Gaius to think that his battle skills were so pathetic

However, although Alvin could lie to anyone, he couldn't lie to himself, and he knew deep inside that although he wanted a rematch to clear a little his honor, it wasn't the main reason for his strange behavior.

The main reason was that Alvin wanted to test if Gaius' convictions were so firm as his security of his abilities, if Gaius was really as confident as he seemed to be or if all of it (or at least part of it) was a facade, and if he, Alvin, could make that powerful man lose that imperturbable expression to show him as he really was, the same way that the King makes him behave strangely unintentionally. He had been able to make him show surprise (especially with the suggestion of calling him by his first name) but it wasn't enough: he wanted to know him more.

And yes, it was a mistake; it was a mistake to get involved with a client like that only to satisfy his own curiosity but what the hell, it was the first time that he had been so interested in anyone, so he was going to indulge himself with this little selfish risk…although he has still to think a good excuse to give to Presa maintaining his head (or more probably his lower half) almost intact.

Alvin rubs his eyes and realizes that he is almost getting asleep. It seemed that the tension at the reunion had affected him more than he thought, so he leaves his weapons on the chair where Presa had sat before (he wants to have them near just in case) and gets into bed. It doesn't takes long before he enters in a deep sleep with his thought still wondering about the King.

* * *

><p>When after a few hours Alvin opened his eyes, the first thing that he saw was Presa's face inches apart of his own with his eyes full of anger. Alvin cried in surprise and incorporated with his heart pounding fast.<p>

"God, Presa, what the hell are you doing? Do you want to kill me?"

"Yes, Alvin, that's _exactly_ what I want to do right now", she says in a dangerous low tone. And she hadn't called him 'Al'… that's a bad sign.

"Listen Presa..."

"What the hell is wrong with you?!", she begins to shout before he could begin to defend himself, "I recommended you for the job and you are going to ruin it because you have to defend that 'honor' of yours? All was settled, why had you done this?".

"Come on, have a little faith in me, you are speaking as if I had already lost…"

"You are going to lose", she exclaims, her arms on his hips and her tail swinging frantically, "we are talking about the King remember? Or has the fight left your head worse than before and you have already forgotten?"

"If you have talked with Winhal..."

"_Wingul_"

"Whatever", dismisses Alvin with a gesture of his hand, "if you have talked to him you will know that I almost stop a hit of the King..."

"Ooh, _almost_? Incredible!"

"Can you let me finish?", exclaims Alvin, "And it was _almost_ because my ribs are not healed yet, so the next time we fight I will last a minute, I know".

Presa remains silent without stopping to look at him and finally says.

"Although you win, that's not the main problem here", Alvin gulps because he knows where this is going, "the main problem is that you are risking the best job that you have received in years, and I can't possibly understand why you are doing that".

"Because…", begins Alvin thinking in a decent lie, because he can't exactly explain why he is doing it, he isn't so sure either, "…because although you think that it's ridiculous, I have an honor as mercenary to maintain, and if in a future someone wants to require my services, although everyone here thinks that to withstand an attack from the King is something impressive, I don't think that common people think that a ten-seconds battle is something to be impressed about", he sees that Presa's eyes deviates from a moment and he knows that she is thinking about what he is saying seriously, so he continues with more confidence.

"But if there are rumors (and there will be for sure because soldiers _always_ speak) of a mercenary that has had the opportunity of fighting against the King a couple of times at least, then the clients will be interested because that will mean that I am a man that deserves the time of a King".

He finishes crossing his arms and giving Presa his best confident smile, although inside he is praying that she believes him and stops asking him.

"Okay, I guess that you have a point there", she looks at him again, "do you promise me that you are doing it _only_ for that?"

"Of course, what other motive could I have?"

Presa raises her eyebrows.

"Do you really have to ask?"

Alvin frowns without understanding.

"Seriously, Al", well, she was calling him 'Al' again. That was at least a good sign, "what could it be the motive of you wanting to see the King more?"

It takes a few second until Alvin opens his eyes in astonishment.

"Are you implying that…?".

"That maybe it was because you liked the King? Yes, it could be a possibility".

Alvin opens and closes the mouth a couple of times before beginning to laugh.

"What the hell Presa? I'm not against homosexual people or anything, yo know that, but are you seriously suggesting that _I_ could like a man? Me? In what position are you putting yourself?"

"It wouldn't be that weird", she continues, "Wingul was a ladies man too and he ended falling for the King".

Alvin stops laughing and his eyes open even more.

"What?"

"Oh, come on, don't tell me that you haven't notice".

"What?", only repeats Alvin.

"Why do you think that he hates you that much?".

"Because he has the King on a pedestal and he thinks that maybe I am ruder than I should be to him?", exclaims Alvin trying to encounter a better explanation.

"Yes, in part is for that, but he can't neither stand the fact that the King agreed to have an audience with you and approved another fight, and…", Presa remains silent and looks at him with a slightly funny smile.

"And what?", asks Alvin who doesn't like that smile.

"And Wingul also thinks that you are after the King too".

"…What?", says Alvin again.

"That was your fault, how could you suggest the King to call him by his first name?".

"Come on, Presa, you know me, it was just a joke…".

"Well, explain it to Wingul, I tried it but he didn't listen to me".

"Yeah, sure you tried it with all your forces", the smirk in Presa's face confirms him that she didn't lose much time in defending him, "I had always known that you are a fujoshi deep inside".

"That's not true!", she exclaims blushing.

"Denial phase, sweetie, you haven't to be ashamed of…ouch!", her tail hits him on the forehead and he knows that he will have a mark.

"And just for the record", he adds rubbing the new mark, "the King accepted the suggestion if I win, so maybe Wingul should put the blame on the King and not in me".

"The King…accepted the suggestion?", the stunned voice of Presa makes Alvin look at her.

"Yeah. It's not that weird, isn't it? They call you all by your first names too".

"Yes, that it's true", she remains silent, lost in her thoughts and Alvin is about to ask again but Presa continues, "anyway, I can take then that Wingul suspicious are wrong, right?"

"Absolutely wrong, yeah". Presa nods.

"Well, it would have been interesting to see you two fight for the King favour".

"It's not gonna happen", assures Alvin.

"Maybe not for your part, but if I were you, I would behave properly with the King when Wingul is around, I wouldn't want to have him as an enemy".

"Okay, I'll avoid the jokes when he is around".

Presa rolls his eyes.

"That attitude of yours is going to kill you someday".

"And that day you will regret to have been so bad with me".

"Yeah, sure", she says with a snort, "by the way, I was going to eat now, do you want to join me?"

Alvin smiles at her raising an eyebrow.

"No, Al, it's not a _date_, but I have to tell you what excuse I've told to your group so you won't ruin it when you come back to them".

"Okay okay", he says standing. He is going to take his weapons but Presa stops him.

"No weapons allowed in the dining room", she goes to the door followed by Alvin.

"Wingul knows that too, right?"

"Of course he knows, he is not going to attack you there, stupid".

"Well, now that I know that he sees me like a potentially threat to his loved one I wouldn't like to be killed without defending myself".

Presa looks at him and she is going to say something but Alvin continues.

"And no, I'm not going to make jokes about that, I'm not that jerk".

Presa nods satisfied and she leaves the room.

"But seriously, if by any chance you liked…".

"God Presa, although it was like that I wouldn't tell you, I wouldn't want to stand your fangirling-fujoshi cries…"

"I'm not a fujoshi!"

With that cry, a couple of people that were eating in the first floor of the inn look at her with curiosity and Presa blush even more. Alvin begins to laugh but another hit (now in his ribs) make him exhale a gasp of pain and Presa begins to walk in front of him and he follows her. The news about Wingul had impacted him, he had to admit that now the furious glares of Wingul when the King has praised him or accepting his proposal made more sense, but Alvin though that Wingul's attitude could be also mean that Wingul respects the King and admires him, it hadn't to be love, right? Although he had to admit that Presa was a very intuitive woman…

As Alvin follows Presa to the dining room, he decides to pay extra attention during the battles that will take place in the afternoon. This could be _really_ interesting.


	5. Chapter 5

New update! I thought that this chapter was going to be shorter than the rest but at the end it's the longest ^^U And at last from now on I'll be able to integrate this story inside the canon story, I hope you'll like it :)

**Warning**: If anyone is interested, what had happened until now takes place in the game just after Alvin receives a letter when Jude, Milla, Elize and him had arrived at Aladhi Seaheaven and the next parade is Spastrath Woods, just before going to Sharilton and meeting Rowen :)

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><p>When Presa and Alvin arrive at the dining room, there are already a considerable number of soldiers eating and taking trays to pick the food, but Alvin doesn't see anyone of the Quimerios.<p>

"You don't eat with the rest of your group?", he asks casually while Presa takes a tray and stands in line.

"You mean with the Quimerios? Normally yes, but Agria is back to Fenmont on a mission, Jiao is heading to Sapstrath Deepwoods to keep an eye on Milla while you are here and Wingul is still training".

Alvin hesitates a little but at the end he asks.

"And I suppose that the King is too royal to eat with commoners".

Presa laughs making some of the soldiers in front of her turn round and look at her with loving eyes and him with hateful ones, probably jealous of an outsider that speaks so freely with the beautiful Quimeria. Alvin rolls his own: 'poor guys, I expect that they never try to go out with this woman', he thinks to himself.

"It's evident that you don't know your own King very well".

Alvin waits for her to continue talking but Presa doesn't say anything more. At last it's her turn and she chooses a plate of Fruit Salad, while Alvin takes a plate of Yakisoba Noodles. When Presa sees his choice, she smiles a little.

"What?", asks Alvin, not understanding her smile.

"Nothing, it's just that Yakisoba Noodles is usually eaten when you want to increase your defense", she sits in a near table, "What's the matter, Al? Do you seriously think that Wingul is going to attack you?"

"Ha ha ha", he sits next to her without bothering to answer. They eat in silence a little until Presa speaks.

"Then, have you understood what your mission is?"

Alvin nods.

"Basically, I have to have you informed about the movements of the group and about their goals, especially the ones related to Nachtical, right?"

"Yes, that's it, and the most important thing that I couldn't mention in the letter: we know for sure that Milla is hiding _something_ really important, but we don't know where that thing is. Your most important task in this mission is to discover where that object is".

Alvin looks at her and blinks a couple of times.

"Presa, seriously, with so many details I'm going to fall asleep right know".

"Sorry, Alvin, but you needn't to know what the object you have to look for is. Besides, it's not necessary: all you have to do is to inform us if Milla mentions something suspicious about it".

"Can't you tell at least what type of object we are talking about? While you don't tell me for what it's used it's enough, isn't it?"

Presa hesitates for a moment but at the end she speaks.

"It's a key".

Alvin puts special attention in nodding without changing the expression because although Presa doesn't know, with the information that she's just given him he already knows what the key that they want to get is. But well, that knowledge has nothing to do with _this_ job, so he is going to pretend not to know anything more than necessary, as always.

"Thanks, that will help", he says. Presa nods, but Alvin sees that she seems to regret a little having told him that, so he continues speaking to make her forget her mistake, "by the way, how did you explain to them my absence? Didn't Jude and Mille try to fight with you or something like that?".

"Oh, no, I visited them at the inn so they didn't try anything funny".

"Good idea, Jude probably wouldn't have done anything, but I'm not so sure about Milla. And did you have any problems to make them believe your story?"

"None at all, they saw you receive the letter and it seems that you commented something about a distant relationship so I used that".

"You used what?", he asks with surprise.

"I said that you and me were old partners and that you couldn't possibly reject the job, I made them believe that I had forced you to accept it or your life would be in danger, so have that in mind when you come back with them. They were worried about you".

That surprises Alvin. They were worried about him? He feels guilty against his will and he forces himself to not to think about it so much, he must remember what his main goal is, taking a liking to them would only make all more difficult.

"Just out of curiosity, what were you doing with them at Kirihara Falls?"

"Oh, I had the luck to run into Jude and Milla in Fenmont when they were fleeing and I thought that they could be potential clients, so I offered my services as mercenary and they hired me to help them go to Nia Khera".

"So…it was just a coincidence?", asks Presa suspicious.

"Yep, a coincidence that made you and me meet again", he winks at her, "maybe it wasn't a coincidence but fate".

Presa rolls her eyes but she couldn't avoid blushing a little. Alvin sighs internally in relief: fortunately flirting was still his best weapon against Presa to finish unwanted conversations. They continue eating in silence until they see the people surrounding them stand up and make a reverence in the direction of the entrance. Alvin looks at that direction and sees the King entering followed by Wingul. He wears again his red and black armor-suit but not his katana, and he sighs in relief when he sees that Wingul hasn't got his sword either.

At that moment he feels a tap on his shoulder and then he realizes that Presa is already up and doing a reverence too, so he copies her quickly. The King nods briefly at his men's direction and everybody return to eat. Presa and Alvin sit down again.

"That's your answer about if he was _too royal_ to eat with the rest of us", comments Presa with a little smirk. When he sees that Alvin doesn't reply, he realizes that he isn't averting his eyes from Wingul and Gaius.

"Keep staring like that and I'll have to agree with Wingul", whispers Presa.

"I'm looking at _both_ of them, idiot. I'm trying to see if your perverted fantasies have any sense", he answers in the same low tone.

"First, I don't have perverted fantasies! And second, do you really think that Wingul would show his true feelings so easily in order you to discover them just by looking?"

"Then how did you notice?"

"I told you: feminine intuition. Besides, I've known Wingul for some years, I can read him more or less by now…well, let's shut up, they are coming".

Alvin looks at the food court and sees that Presa is right: the King is approaching where they are while Wingul is still ordering.

"May I sit with you two?", Gaius asks to the both of them but he's looking directly at Alvin.

"Of course, your Highness, it will be an honor", Alvin answers with a smile while he retires a little his tray so Gaius can put his on the table more easily. He sits just in front of Alvin.

"How are your injuries?"

"Almost completely healed. In fact, I feel like I could have a chance against your Highness this afternoon…of course I wouldn't last a minute as I promised, but maybe…twenty seconds?".

Presa glares at him but Gaius only shows a hint of a smile.

"I'm glad that you feel so good but I would prefer to wait until you are completely recovered".

"Your concern is overwhelming me, your Highness".

"Of course the King is concerned: your mission is really important and you have to be recovered to do it properly, mercenary".

Wingul has just arrived and takes his sit in front of Presa and next to the King. The way of answering is sharp as always and his eyes look at him as Wingul wanted Alvin to disappear, but the last one only smiles at him.

"Don't worry, I'll do the job without fail. I'm not just a pretty face, you know?"

Presa makes an effort to not to face palm, and although Alvin sees how Wingul's left hand turns into a fist, the King has begun to eat without making any comment. The King has ordered a Beef Bowl and Wingul a Takoyai Ramen, and Alvin internally thinks that he has to ask Presa about the stats of those foods.

"What's the matter", asks Gaius when he notices that Alvin is staring at his food.

"Oh, nothing, it's just that I would never have imagined the King of Auj Oule eating a simple beef bowl at the dining room of an inn".

The King smiles because of the sincerity.

"I just consider completely pointless trying to order some luxurious food or making someone serves me at my chambers when I can do what everybody does and avoid losing unnecessary time".

"You're right, your Highness", concedes Alvin, "but you must admit that it's not a very usual behavior for a King".

"Neither is for a mercenary to risk a good job in order to defend his honor", points Gaius looking directly at him making Alvin nervous, because it's the same thing that he has just thought when he was speaking of strange behavior.

"Well, I'm honored to have something in common with a King", he finishes saying with a smile, but Presa seems to note his tension because at that moment she intervenes.

"Before I forget, your Highness: Jiao has sent me a letter saying that he has already arrived at Sapstrath and asking permission about looking after _that matter_ while keeping an eye on Milla, what should I respond him?".

"Tell him that he has my permission, taking care of that will be good for us as well".

"Understood, I'll tell him that".

Alvin frowns a little because of the secrecy and when his eyes stop at Wingul, this one has a satisfied smile in his face.

"Don't worry, mercenary, you don't have to be involved in _this matter_, it would only complicate your job more".

"Better for me: the easiest, the best", he answers. They continue eating in silence, and at first Alvin is not sure if they are being so quiet because of him or because they normally don't speak much, but he is more inclined for the second reason when he doesn't feel any discomfort in them (except Wingul, but that isn't anything new). After a few minutes, a female soldier approaches their table and after making a reverence to Gaius while saying "Your Highness" she stares at Wingul.

"I apologize for interrupting, sir, but you ordered to inform you immediately when we have the information that you requested, so…".

"It's okay, Sarah, well done. I'll revise it later".

The girl blushed furiously and after murmuring something unintelligible she left. Alvin couldn't avoid a laugh.

"What's so funny, mercenary?", asks Wingul.

"Nothing, it's just that I didn't take you for a seducer".

"…Excuse me?", asks Wingul momentary lost. Presa, who was drinking at that moment, begins to cough and the King only raises his eyebrow while observing them with curiosity.

"I mean Sarah", Alvin clarifies, and when he sees that Wingul doesn't understand him yet, he continues, "She has obviously the hots for you".

"That she has what?".

"She is in love with you".

Alvin doesn't know who of them is more surprised when the King says those words so casually.

"Yes, that's it. Thank you for your help, your Highness".

"That's ridiculous".

"Asks Presa, she is the intuitive woman here".

Presa is about to protest but then he sees the look of Wingul, which confirms her that she is not going to go away without speaking.

"I think that Alvin is right this time", Alvin glares at her for the 'this time' part but she ignores him, "In fact, I'm sure that she isn't the only soldier that feels that way".

Wingul opens and closes his mouth a couple of times without knowing what to say and Alvin is about to laugh but a hit on his ribs (courtesy of Presa) makes him stay quiet.

"Well, even if that is the case, they are losing their time. I've not interested", and while saying those last words, his eyes deviated momentary at Gaius. Surely Wingul hadn't done it on purpose, but that look made Alvin think that Presa was right: the fact that he had looked at Gaius at that precisely moment could imply that the reason for which he wasn't interested in them was because he was already interested in someone else, concretely the man who was sat at his side.

"In any case, I don't consider very appropriate to discuss this kind of matter in front of the King, but as always, mercenary, that's something that you seem not to care at all, since you manage to say the most inappropriate things when your Highness is present".

Alvin is about to answer but Gaius is faster.

"I don't consider the matter particularly inappropriate, it was me in the first place the one who chose to be in a less serious environment than I usually am as a King, so I consider perfectly normal that the conversational themes which are discussed would be more relaxed".

When Alvin sees the stunned look in Wingul's face he bites his lip to not to laugh.

"Although I must concede too that Alvin's behavior towards me as a King is a little…unique".

"I wouldn't say unique, your Highness", points Wingul.

"Don't worry about me, you can speak as I wouldn't be here", comments Alvin ironically.

"_That_ attitude of yours is precisely what we were talking about", says Wingul with a frown, but Gaius only looks at Alvin with amusement.

"I sincerely apologize if I say some inadequate things, but I'm just a modest mercenary and maybe sometimes I'm not so sure about the proper manner of speaking to a King".

"And I think too that there are some things that are _clearly_ unacceptable for a person with a minimum common sense", says Wingul glaring at him, and Alvin is almost sure that he is referring to the petition of calling the King by his first name.

"Then I'm afraid that I'll have to apologize too for my lack of common sense".

Wingul makes an attempt of standing up but Gaius puts his hand on his shoulder stopping him.

"Wingul, behave: our soldiers are present. Let's finish eating, we have matters to discuss".

Wingul reddens a little for the scolding (_or maybe because the King's hand is on his shoulder_, thinks to himself Alvin) and stays quiet. It doesn't take long for them to finish eating. Gaius is the first to stand up, followed by the rest.

"Well, I see both of you at the training room at 6 p.m".

"Of course, your Highness", answers Presa.

"Yeah, I'll be there too, your Majesty", he sees the little surprise in Gaius' face for the change of treatment, "can I call you 'Majesty', right? It's still adequate".

"Yes, of course, but why the sudden change?".

"Oh, because everyone call you 'your Highness'. I thought that it wouldn't be bad to change a little so it wouldn't be bored", answers Alvin with a smile.

Gaius only looks at him and Alvin can notice that he is trying to read him, but fortunately he knows that reading him is something that, by now, no one can do, including the King.

"We should get going, your Highness, people is beginning to stare", whispers Wingul.

"All right. See you this afternoon then", and although Alvin knows that he is referring to the both of them, he is still looking only at him, so he forces himself to not to avert his eyes.

Presa and Alvin makes a little reverence and while the King, followed by Wingul, go through the secret door of the inn, Presa and Alvin returns to Alvin's room. They don't say anything until the door closes behind them, and it's then when Presa hits Alvin on his head.

"Ouch!", he exclaims.

"You are incredible", exclaims Presa.

"Took you long to notice, hah?", smirks Alvin.

"I'm being serious, Alvin! For goodness sake, can't you maintain a simple polite conversation when Wingul is around?"

"I've been polite", protests Alvin.

"Well, maybe you have been more polite that the other times but still why do you have to tease him every time that you have a chance?"

"He is the one who always starts, it's not my fault that my replies are better", he says putting his arms behind his head.

"You have had clients much worse than Wingul that always tried to tease you and you just ignored them", she crosses her arms, "what's different here?"

Alvin hesitates a little before answering. He has to admit that Presa is right, normally he would reply him a couple of times at first, but at the end he would stop because he knows that the best way of dealing with troublesome people was to ignore them…but with Wingul he couldn't do that.

He didn't know why, but the fact that he were always trying to make him look bad in front of Gaius made him want to ridicule him too, and in fact, he has considered a win when the King had replied Wingul instead of agreeing with him. What was that? He shouldn't give a damn what Gaius or Wingul think about him, but that wasn't the case with Gaius. Why? Maybe because Gaius was one of the few men that takes him seriously and that wasn't bothered when he was testing his reactions? He honestly didn't know.

"Al?".

The voice of Presa makes him react.

"Okay, okay, you are right, I'll try to ignore him, happy?". He sounds harsher of what he has intended, so he continues with a smirk, "by the way, I think that I have to agree with you".

Presa frowns.

"Agree with what?"

"About Wingul liking the King".

Presa looks at him surprised.

"So you've notice the…"

"The sideways glance to Gaius? Yep, I've noticed".

"It seems that you have become more perceptive with the years", says Presa with an impressed tone that offends Alvin.

"Hey, I've _always_ been perceptive".

"Yes, whatever you say", says Presa in a tone that shows clearly that she disagrees, "in any case, please, Alvin, _please_, promise me that you are going to behave in front of the King".

"Okay, I'll do, but just for the record: although Wingul and you always criticize my manners, the King has never protest".

"Yes, I know, and that's something that I really can't understand".

"Well, maybe the King has fallen to my charms", jokes Alvin, and when he sees the serious look that Presa gives him, Alvin misinterpret it and immediately continues, "I know, I know, I would never say something like that in front of them, don't worry".

Presa is about to say something but at the end she decides to stay quiet, she doesn't want to complicate things more.

"Well, I hope that you behave from now on. I have some things to do, so I'll see you at 6 p.m, rest a little, okay?"

"Yes, madam", he says imitating a military gesture making her roll her eyes.

When the door closes behind her, Alvin sighs while dropping into bed, hands behind his head and legs crossed. Presa is right, he has to focus on the job and to avoid asking for trouble with Wingul, that's the best way to act and the way that he had always chosen…until now, until Gaius had appeared in his life.

Alvin's eyes snaps open when the last thought appears on his mind: .Hell? That had sounded too romantic. He shakes his head while insulting himself internally: he was still tired and wasn't thinking properly.

He makes sure to put an alarm on his clock at 6 p.m and turns to his side to sleep. Fortunately, when he wakes up he'll be completely rested and weird thoughts will go away.

* * *

><p>The sound of the alarm makes him wake up startled. He rubs his eyes and forces himself to get up. Even though he has slept almost three hours he's had a few strange dreams that he doesn't remember well, although he does remember that Wingul and Gaius were there. <em>Great<em>, he thought to himself, _now I see Gaius even in dreams. Wingul would kill me if he discovered it._

He hesitates before grabbing his weapons but at the end he takes them: he was going to the training room and Wingul would have a weapon for sure, so he would have one as well, just in case.

It takes him less than five minutes to arrive to the training room. The room is completely full of soldiers and he has to force his way in. When he manages to enter, he can see that a circle is formed around the center of the room and above the noisy coming from the soldiers, he can hear the sound of swords crashing.

"Crap!", he exclaims. He tries to advance to the first line but all the people in front of him make that task be impossible. At that moment, he sees a cat's tail rise among the crowd, so he begins to push with more confidence answering at the glares of the people with a cry like: 'Lady Presa is calling for me, let me pass!'. All the soldiers move away (more or less) when they hear Presa's name and in a few minutes he can see Presa's back.

"Hey, Presa!", cries Alvin when he is two lines behind.

Presa turns around looking for him and when she finds him, she looks at him with an angry face.

"You are…"

"I know, I know, I'm late, sorry, I didn't know that the fight will begin _exactly_ at 6 p.m".

"If it didn't begin at 6 p.m, we wouldn't say that hour, don't you think?", she stretches her arm to grab Alvin so he could be next to her at the first line.

"Thanks! Geez, what's the matter with all this people? Has no one seen a fight befo...?"

But when Alvin's eyes focus on the two combatants, the sentence dies on his throat, because he had never shown a fight like _that_: the first time that you look, it was really difficult to see what was exactly happening or who was fighting, because due to the speed of both men, their silhouettes were a blur until your eyes were accustomed to it.

When Alvin's eyes could clearly differentiate Wingul and Gaius, he tried to focus on the attacks that they were using, and he discovered that there was almost impossible to know who were the one attacking and the one defending, although it seemed to him that both men were attacking at the same time.

"Impressive, right?"

He doesn't turn to Presa, he doesn't want to avert his eyes from the fight.

"How much they have been like this?"

"I told you, since 6 p.m, exactly seven minutes".

Seven minutes…and he had only last _ten seconds_ against Gaius…that was pathetic. At that moment, the sudden cries of the soldiers make him focus again on the combat to see Wingul on the floor and the King pointing his katana at his neck. What the Hell? Maybe he had averted his eyes a split-second and that was enough for the King to win? That man was incredible.

Some soldiers begin to applaud, specifically a group of female soldiers that seemed to be on Wingul's part, and Alvin deduces that the fight is over.

"Good fight, Wingul", praises the King while helping him to stand up, and put a hand on Wingul's shoulder while saying, "You have improved, well done".

Alvin could see how Wingul's face reddens a little more as a smile appears on his face. Alvin's eyes open more: if the reddening of his face didn't have to be for being in love, that smile definitely was one of those, because he has seen that kind of smile before, concretely in Presa, and that was the moment in which he decided to break up to avoid complicating things more between them.

Alvin asks to himself if Gaius knew the feelings of his subordinate, but with his face imperturbable the most part of the time it was really difficult to say, maybe he knew and decided to ignore it or he was even less perceptive than him (yes, Alvin knew that he wasn't very perceptive but he didn't like that anyone pointed that out).

Some of the soldiers bring water to both of them and after drinking, Gaius uses the rest of the water to refresh his head. Alvin feels a jab of jealousy: against him, Gaius had only used a couple of movements and that had been enough, but with Wingul he had spent seven minutes and he had _sweated_ to defeat him, Alvin wanted that too…he meant making Gaius difficult to defeat him, not making him sweat, that would have been weird…and why on earth was he auto-justifying himself?

"Well, it's my turn", Alvin turns to Presa, who is adjusting her glasses and have her spells-book already out on her right hand, "do you want to bet how much I last?"

"I would prefer not risking more money on this job", says Alvin with a smile, "have a nice fight!".

Presa nods and goes with Gaius. The fight this time is not as long as the previous and is less impressive but still is a really nice fight: Presa manages to last almost four minutes and Alvin notices that the spells that she is using are a lot more complicated and elaborated that the last time the he saw her fight. The King avoided almost all of Presa's attacks and at the end, he managed to grab Presa's right hand making her drop her book and after making her turn around as they were dancing instead of fighting, Presa found herself with her back against Gaius front and Gaius' katana under his neck.

The soldiers began to applaud and Alvin couldn't help to smile, he had liked that last performance. The fight concluded then, Gaius picked the book up and returned it to Presa who made a little reverence with a smile on her face. It seemed that she was happy with the result of the fight although she had lost.

After that, all the people gathered began to leave until the room was completely empty with the exception of Presa, Gaius and Alvin. Surprisingly Wingul had some matters to attend and wasn't there.

"Great fight as always, your Highness. I have still some letters to send, but if you need my help for anything…"

"It's okay Presa. I'll be here training some more".

"All right, your Highness", Presa makes a little reverence and she is going to leave followed by Alvin when the voice of Gaius stops them.

"Alvin, could you stay a little more?"

"Me, your Majesty?", exclaims Alvin sincerely surprised.

"Yes, I think that there isn't any other Alvin here", says the King with a hint of a smile.

Alvin looks at Presa briefly and he sees that she is as surprised as him, but she nods almost imperceptibly so Alvin stays. Before she leaves he can hear her whisper: "Please, behave", and after that the door closes behind her.

"It's strange that you haven't requested to ask me anything as you usually do", comments Gaius ironically.

Alvin looks at Gaius nervously. After confirming again how powerful that man was and how lame had been his battle, he finds now difficult to speak to him as always. In fact, a part of him wants to run from there right now.

"Well, your Majesty, I promised Presa that I would behave from now on", he finishes saying with a tense smile, and after hesitating a little he continues, "and besides, after seeing you fight for real I was afraid of you firing me if I tried to speak to you again".

Gaius frowns.

"Firing you? I thought that I have made myself clear when I told you that I considered you perfectly capable for the job".

"Seriously?", Alvin says still with the tense smile, because he knows that if he doesn't keep smiling he may sound harsher that he intended.

"Do you think I'm joking?".

"I…I don't know, your Majesty", Alvin says running a hand through his hair trying to calm down. Seriously, why was he suddenly so affected? "It's just that I don't understand why a man like you would agree to work with a man like me. I mean, yes, I know that I'm good on my job but that's something that I know and that Presa knows but from your point of view…I mean, from your Majesty's point of view, I'm just a mercenary that only lasted ten seconds on a battle when you have under your command people who are clearly better than me so, why hadn't you fired me?"

When Alvin finishes talking, he realizes that he has lost his fake smile and averts his eyes, because right now he feels completely useless: until know he wasn't aware that the Quimerios were so powerful too, and when Presa has told him that his lame fight hadn't been so lame at all, he had imagined that the Quimerios would last more than him but not so _much_ more, and seeing the difference in power had made him feel really stupid, and now he was regretting his proposal of another fight…

At that moment, his thoughts are interrupted when a familiar sound reaches his ears and before even thinking his instincts make him put his sword between him and Gaius' katana just in time.

"Why haven't I fired you?", repeats the question Gaius, eyes fixed on him while their swords tremble with the force of the both of them, "I'll give you three reasons if that makes your doubts go away".

Gaius attacks him again but Alvin manages to avoid it rolling on the ground to situate behind the King and attack, but Gaius turns around with incredible speed and stops the hit.

"First: you have been recommended by Presa, and I always trust in the words of the Quimerios".

He attacks a few times more with his katana making Alvin go backwards.

"Second: the Quimerios have been trained by me personally, so it's perfectly normal that they are better than the rest".

If Alvin wasn't so busy deviating the attacks he would have maybe joked about the lack of modesty of the King. Suddenly he feels his arm grabbed by Gaius and by his surprise, the King uses his leg to kick him behind his own feet making him destabilize and fall to the floor, although due to the King was grabbing him he doesn't feel pain with the impact.

"And the third and most important reason…", the King kicks Alvin's sword so he can't grab it and uses his katana to attack him but Alvin manages to grab his pistol with two hands to stop the katana just centimeters always from his face.

"For this", Gaius completes with a smile. Alvin looks up at him with a frown.

"_This_? What do you mean by that", asks Alvin forgetting the formalisms.

Gaius uses his katana to finally send flying Alvin's weapon and then kneel on the top of Alvin pinning him on the floor, his legs at both sides of him, his katana pointing horizontal just under Alvin's jaw, and his face inches apart of Alvin's.

"With _this_, I mean _you_", Alvin's breathing begins to fasten. What…?, "you are a man who are clearly less powerful than me, but that doesn't stop you from keep fighting until the end when most people would surrender; you are a man who isn't afraid of asking a King about things that no person would dare to ask, and although at first I was debating if that was due to stupidity or bravery, now I'm clearly inclining for the second; and finally, you are a man who despite being always showing a lot of confidence, is clever enough to fear and doubt himself when he sees a better opponent in front of him", Gaius smiles again, "tell me Alvin, why should I fire a man like that?".

Alvin gulps at a loss for words. Seriously, what was that man doing to him? The last time that Alvin had felt like crying when someone praised him was when he was a kid and he was still desperately looking for approval, but when he grew up he decided to stop worrying about it, he considered it stupid and useless…but now there he was, almost blushing and with his heart beating at a frenetic rhythm just because a man who he was met the day before had acknowledged him, what was happening to him? And the fact that he could now understand why Wingul had fallen for the King wasn't helping at all.

Then he realizes that Gaius is still waiting for an answer, so he clears his throat before being able to respond:

"Well, your Majesty, I will only say that if I were a King, I would never hire me knowing that I am the kind of man who always is with the best prize", although Alvin's heart is still racing, he had recovered his usual confidence and he's showing his usual confident smile.

The King laughs and Alvin opens more his eyes: it's the first time that he sees Gaius with an expression so relaxed, and he decides that it's something that he wanted to see more.

"Then that's something that doesn't bother me, because I know that I will always offer the best possible prize".

"I'm honored that the King of Auj Oule is so willing to pay for my services", Alvin said with a smirk, knowing that what he has just said could imply some other interpretations.

The King seems to catch that because his smile doesn't abandon his face.

"Of course, when there is something that really interests me, I do everything I can to obtain it", Alvin looks at him with his mouth almost completely opened, "and the job that you must do really interests me".

Alvin feels himself reddening, he had fallen for the joke that he had begun. He couldn't be more stupid right now, and the smirk on Gaius face confirms him that he had realized.

"Well, then I hope that this job goes well so we could keep making business", says Alvin at last.

"Yes, I agree".

"Umh, and could you remove your sword from my neck? I'm beginning to feel a little uneasy…"

"Oh, of course, excuse my rudeness". Gaius stands up again and offers his hand to help Alvin to get up, "I hope that you aren't hurt again".

"Don't worry, your Majesty, I'm perfectly fine", he accepts his hand. When he is again standing he scratches the back on his head before looking again at Gaius, "and thank you for your confidence, I won't doubt your judgment about my value for this job anymore, I promise", he finishes the sentence with a wide smile so it doesn't sound very solemn and the King smiles.

"You are welcome. After all, it's the King duty to show his people the proper path". Alvin laughs for the serious answer.

"So, you consider me part of your people".

"Of course, you told that you are from Xian Du, right?"

"Yes, although I said too that I am a free soul so maybe tomorrow my home is in another place but well, for now you are my only King, your Majesty", Alvin manages to keep his eyes on Gaius while he is speaking but he hopes that Gaius can't hear his heart because he is racing again because of the lie.

Gaius looks at him in silence for a few seconds and Alvin fears that he asks anything so he continues speaking.

"By the way, your Majesty, I was thinking to return right now to Sapstrath. I think that I'm recovered enough by now so I think that's not necessary to wait until tomorrow".

Gaius thinks a little before nodding.

"Very well", he says, "I admit that you are in better form that I expected you to be".

"Thank you, your Majesty", Alvin says with a reverence, "I'll see you then when I make my first report".

"All right. I'll be expecting our next fight", says the King with a smile.

"Me too, your Majesty. Please, don't train so much or maybe I'll last even less".

The King laughs.

"I can't promise that, so be sure to train well".

"Got it...your Majesty", he remembers to add it just at the end, "have a nice training".

"And you a safe trip".

Alvin nods and after doing another reverence he leaves the room and before going to his room, he leans against the nearest wall for a few moments, his eyes closed. For a hundred time he thinks about the enormous mistake that he is making getting close to the King: he had already let his walls down for a moment, something that he had never done before because he knew that it could cause trouble, and until the King haven't mention Xian Du, he almost had forgotten his most important mission. He couldn't let that happen, he had to focus on his real goal and try to be more professional around Gaius, he must do it before he makes a fatal mistake.

With a final sigh he separates from the wall and goes to look for Presa to tell her his decision. Fortunately, if he comes back now with Jude and the rest, being far from Gaius would help him to be his usual self…although he couldn't lie to himself, he was already expecting the fight that will come with his next encounter. Damn it. What was that man doing to him?


End file.
